Prospect Hill Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Prospect Hill Junior School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Prospect Hill Junior School is a happy and harmonious place to learn. Pupils get on well together. They know that the 'golden rules' are there to keep them safe.

They behave well in lessons. They pay close attention to their teachers and participate enthusiastically in their learning. Pupils welcome challenge.

At social times, there are lots for them to do on the playground. They keep busy and active. Pupils are proud of their school.

One pupil said: 'I don't think there is one pupil who would not recommend this school to a friend'.

Pupils enjoy the many enri...chment activities that are planned for them. They buzz with excitement about 'Prospect's Got Talent'.

They are thrilled for the pupils who have been chosen to perform their acts at the summer fair. Parents have many opportunities to be a part of school life. They are invited to a showcase event for each year group so that they can hear about what their child has been learning.

For example, Year 5 pupils presented 'I'm an astronaut, get me out of here' based on their space topic. Many parents value the school's open door and feel part of the school community.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have constructed an ambitious curriculum.

It is designed to have a particular focus on developing pupils' understanding of their local area, extending to a national and global level. This prepares pupils well for the next stage in their education, as well as life in modern Britain.

Curriculum plans are in place for all subjects.

In the foundation subjects, these plans were implemented at the start of this academic year. Plans clearly set out the key knowledge that leaders want pupils to know. They identify the subject-specific vocabulary that staff will need to teach to pupils.

Each small step of learning is designed so that it builds on what pupils have learned before. For example, in physical education (PE), pupils learn the footwork moves they will need to use before learning how to play badminton. They know that this is called a 'chasse move'.

Teachers regularly review the knowledge that pupils need to remember. They provide extra support for pupils who have not remembered, or understood, prior learning.

Leaders have made reading a key priority.

There are lots of books around the school for pupils to access. Teachers read to pupils from carefully chosen texts that link to their class topics. Pupils retell the stories from 'Escape to the River Sea' and 'Street Child' with enthusiasm.

They talk with interest about a biography based on David Attenborough's life. Leaders provide support for pupils who struggle with their reading. Pupils who need it continue to have daily phonics lessons.

Staff have been trained to deliver phonics. They are experts. As a result, pupils who were not fluent readers when they arrived at the school are catching up with their peers.

Leaders are ambitious that all pupils will achieve well, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Secure systems are in place to identify the needs of pupils with SEND. Teachers use a range of appropriate strategies to adapt the curriculum to make sure that pupils with SEND can access the same learning as their peers.

Pupils with SEND are fully included in all aspects of school life.

Pupils enjoy a wide range of after-school clubs. Many of these clubs promote healthy lifestyles.

These include healthy food club, bushcraft and scooter club. Pupils also benefit from the expertise of visitors to school. Leaders make sure that every school visit will add to pupils' knowledge or personal development.

Leaders have also made pupils' mental health a priority. The school has received a national award for this aspect of the school's work.

Leaders are considerate of staff workload.

Staff appreciate the culture of teamwork that leaders have established. Staff morale is high.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

All staff understand that they have a shared responsibility to keep pupils safe. They receive regular training. They know how to recognise the signs that would alert them to concerns about a pupil's safety or well-being.

Staff pass their concerns on with urgency. Safeguarding leaders make the right decisions about how to respond to the concerns raised. They involve external agencies promptly, when needed, to support vulnerable pupils and their families.

The curriculum teaches pupils how to keep themselves safe. For example, they learn how to keep themselves safe online and how to use social media responsibly.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The current curriculum for foundation subjects was finalised in September 2022.

Leaders have further work to do to assure themselves that teachers are implementing the curriculum effectively. Leaders should continue to provide teachers with the training they need to ensure that the curriculum is delivered as leaders intended and successfully supporting pupils to retain key knowledge in their long-term memory.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good/outstanding.

This is called an ungraded inspection and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually, this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in October 2013.

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